Renetta Garrison Tull facts for kids

Renetta Garrison Tull is an American electrical engineer and a leader who works to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields more welcoming for everyone. She is especially focused on increasing diversity and making sure all students feel included.

Dr. Tull is the first Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of California, Davis. She also helped start a program called PROMISE, funded by the National Science Foundation. This program helps more students from groups that are often underrepresented succeed in STEM graduate school and careers.

Before this, Dr. Tull held important roles at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the University System of Maryland. She has also made a global impact. She was a main speaker at a United Nations event about women in engineering. In 2015, she was the only American and only woman to be a finalist for a major international award, the Global Engineering Deans Council Airbus Diversity Award.

Early Life and Education

Renetta Tull grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. From a young age, she was very interested in medicine and science. Her father encouraged her to follow her passion for science. He helped her believe she could succeed, even though there were challenges for Black people in STEM careers.

In 1987, Dr. Tull attended Howard University, which is a historically Black university. She studied Electrical Engineering and focused on Signal Processing. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1991.

After her undergraduate studies, Dr. Tull went to Northwestern University. She earned her Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1994, focusing on Speech Signal Processing. She then continued at Northwestern to get her PhD in Speech Science in 1999. Her PhD research looked at how technology could help people with disabilities.

After her PhD, Dr. Tull completed a short research fellowship at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1999. There, she studied Vocal Physiology. She then worked as a researcher, developing new technologies to help people with disabilities.

Career and Research

From 2000 to 2001, Dr. Tull was an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She worked in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her main focus was creating technology for people with disabilities.

In 2003, Dr. Tull became a faculty member at the University of Maryland, College Park. At the same time, she became the first Director of the PROMISE program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. This program was funded by the National Science Foundation. She led PROMISE until 2019.

In 2005, Dr. Tull also became a director for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to Doctorate Program. This program helps more minority students enter STEM graduate programs and careers. She continued to take on more leadership roles. In 2007, she became the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Development at UMBC.

By 2016, Dr. Tull was a Special Assistant in the University System of Maryland. She also directed programs for graduate and professional student development. In 2017, she became a Professor of Practice in Engineering and Information Technology. She was also the Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Innovation at UMBC.

In 2019, Dr. Tull moved to the University of California, Davis. She became the first Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion there. In this role, she uses her skills to help recruit and support a diverse group of students. She focuses on helping students from underrepresented groups succeed in STEM.

Leading Diversity Programs

Dr. Tull was the founding Director of the PROMISE program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. In 2015, she was recognized for her work with this program by The Global Engineering Deans Council and The Airbus Group. She was the only American and only female finalist for the 2015 GEDC Airbus Diversity Award. She was invited to speak in Australia about the progress she had made with the PROMISE program.

Dr. Tull also directed the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program. This program provides special support and workshops for students from underrepresented groups. It helps them pursue STEM careers. Dr. Tull was key in getting funding for this program. She became a role model for many students.

The Jessica Effect

Through her leadership, Dr. Tull helped many women from underrepresented groups start successful STEM careers. One of her students, Jessica Soto Perez, sadly passed away. This event inspired Dr. Tull to speak out about the importance of supporting students' well-being. She wanted to make sure students felt connected and safe.

Dr. Tull created the term "Jessica Effect." This idea highlights the need for friends and family to be involved in students' lives and careers. By inviting families to events through PROMISE and LSAMP, she helps students feel less alone. This connection supports their overall well-being and goals. Dr. Tull's work on the Jessica Effect was shared in a publication by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. It was also discussed at a special event in 2014. She continued to work with students in Puerto Rico and helped lead efforts to support Hispanic women in STEM.

Responding to Community Needs

In June 2020, Dr. Tull organized and spoke at a community event at the University of California Davis. She talked about the importance of addressing racism and violence. She shared her own experiences to show that these issues are not new.

Dr. Tull's call for action was featured in Sacramento Magazine in June 2020. She is also a co-chair of a special group at UC Davis. This group is working to change how campus safety is handled. They want to include more social work and mental health support, moving beyond just policing.

Awards and Honors

• 2017-2019 Invited Member for the NASEM Committee on Effective Mentoring Programs and Practices in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine
• 2017 Invited Keynote speaker at the UNESCO 61st Edition of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
• 2016 Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity and Inclusion by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• 2015 The Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC) Airbus Diversity Award Finalist - an international award that recognizes efforts to increase diverse participation in engineering
• 2008 Library of Congress as the National GEM Consortium's University Member of the Year

Select Media Features

• 2019 Featured in the Daily Democrat “New vice chancellor diversity and equity named at UC Davis”
• 2018 Featured in U.S. News STEM Solutions Presents “Workforce of Tomorrow - Renetta G. Tull, Ph.D.”
• 2017 Featured on Foreign Policy News “Renetta Tull of UMBC invited to address UNESCO Initiative on Women in Engineering”
• 2016 Featured in Scientific American “Global Engineering Deans Council announces Airbus Diversity Award”
• 2016 Featured in The Christian Science Monitor “How can universities keep minorities in STEM graduate programs?”
• 2016 Featured in Medium Article by Sci Chic “Women in Science You Should Be Following On Social Media”
• 2008 Featured on the public radio show “The Best of Our Knowledge” discussing methods to increase the number of Black women earning Ph.D.’s in the sciences